Dear Poll: Do You Share With Complete Strangers?

When you get your hair done, do you tell your stylist your deepest, darkest secrets? Or when you shop at your favorite boutique, do you talk openly about your personal life with sales girls? For some reason, I have no problem talking to complete strangers — perhaps it's that they don't know who I'm talking about that they'll be less judgemental, or maybe it's the comfortable environment that makes the words just spill out of my mouth. What about you? Do you share your personal life and experiences with complete strangers or do you typically keep your private life more private?

I'm fairly private. My husband is the only one who knows almost all of my secrets & even he doesn't know all of them!
What constantly surprises me, though, is the fact that complete strangers feel the need to tell me their business. For instance, a BB&B sales clerk recently told me she had gotten a divorce, her ex was now living with her, & they were still having sex. I did not ask this girl anything! Also, yesterday, a cashier told me all about her two week romance & that the guy was ready to get married. I'm guessing my "I'm fine, how are you?" response is what got that ball rolling. It happens every time I go shopping!
My sister is one of those people who will tell strangers all of her business, as well as mine! I have to keep her in check, bless her heart.

I absolutely HATE getting my haircut b/c I hate the pressure to make small talk. After I say "hello" and how I want my hair I want to sit in complete silence. I don't talk to strangers (except, as someone else noted, on the internet--b/c I sure don't know any of you). It's not that I don't trust people, I just think its weird to overshare.

I'll chat about school, bf's friends and any little present situation, nothing really personal, yet things I mmight withhold to certain friends...(you know the gf you love but somtimes she can get a little too dramatic?) anyway, Im in the hair bussiness and have heard horror stories FOR EXAMPLE - a women tells a hairdresser she is dating a married man...the hairdresser also did the hair of the women who was being cheated on, who was waiting for her turn while listening to the women going on about this ladys affair with her husbend....NOT GOOD...feel sorry for that hairdresser

I don't not because of my own privacy, but because I think it's annoying. Salons I can understand, that's obviously part of the culture, but the girl ringing up your groceries doesn't care! Strangers in general probably don't want to know your business and it may make them feel uncomfortable. Chit-chat is one thing, I'm very talkative all the time, but not about my own stuff. That's for family, friends, and my shrink, not the general public.

I keep things to myself ... mostly because of the fact that I don't like strangers knowing my business, but more so because I've sat in plenty of waiting rooms and salons hearing plenty of people spill REALLY personal stuff to not only their stylist, but every customer in the place. I mean, do I REALLY need to know what your marriage counselor said to you and your husband and how your husband reacted? Or did you REALLY want me to know that your daughter has gotten released from prison for the second time and you're thinking of disowning her (seriously ... this woman wanted EVERYONE to know)? Ummmm ... I thought not! I guess it might be different one-on-one, but in a full waiting area? Actually, this is kind of like when people have really loud but personal conversations on the phone in quiet areas. Again, you're sharing with strangers! And we don't want to know.

Where I'm from, no one talks about their business outside their homes, seriously. I've grown up in that kind of environment and I'm very protective of my privacy. I say never tell anyone anything that they could later use against you. I've never really known anyone I've felt that close to that I could tell EVERYTHING to. I do hope that when I find the right guy, I would be able to tell him anything. I'm as candid as possible but I don't like to talk about myself and I keep mum about many things.

I totally wish I wouldn't, but I talk, talk, and talk! My grandmother used to do it, and when I was with her I would be so embarrassed, but I realized that I am a chatterbox. If any one asks a question, I'm telling them an answer! I don't tell my deep, darkest secrets, but I am pretty much an open book.